The technical problem underlying the present invention is to provide peptides corresponding to immunologically important epitopes on bacterial and viral proteins, as well as the use of said peptides in diagnostic or immunogenic compositions.
Recent developments in genetic engineering as well as the chemistry of solid phase peptide synthesis have led to the increasingly wider use of synthetic peptides in biochemistry and immunology. Protein sequences which become available as a result of molecular cloning techniques can be synthesized chemically in large quantities for structural, functional, and immunological studies. Peptides corresponding to immunologically important epitopes found on viral and bacterial proteins have also proven to be highly specific reagents which can be used for antibody detection and the diagnosis of infection.
Despite the many advantages synthetic peptides offer, there are a number of disadvantages associated with their use. Because of their relatively short size (generally less than 50 amino acids in length), their structure may fluctuate between many different conformations in the absence of the stabilizing influence of intramolecular interactions present in the full-length protein. Furthermore, the small size of these peptides means that their chemical properties and solubilities will frequently be quite different from those of the full-length protein and that the contribution of individual amino acids in the peptide sequence toward determining the overall chemical properties of the peptide will be proportionally greater.
Many immunological assays require that the antigen used for antibody detection be immobilized on a solid support. Most enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) make use of polystyrene as the solid phase. Many proteins can be stably adsorbed to the solid phase and present sequences which are accessible for subsequent interactions with antibodies. Because of their small size, direct adsorption of peptides to the solid phase frequently gives rise to unsatisfactory results for any of a number of reasons.
Firstly, the peptide may not possess the correct overall charge or amino acid composition which would enable the peptide to bind to the solid phase. Secondly, the same amino acid residues which are required for binding to the solid phase may also be required for antibody recognition and therefore not available for antibody binding. Thirdly, the peptide may become fixed in an unfavorable conformation upon binding to the solid phase which renders it unrecognizable to antibody molecules. In many cases, it is neither possible nor necessary to distinguish between these possibilities. Binding to the solid phase can be increased and made less sensitive to the specific chemical properties of a peptide by first coupling the peptide to a large carrier molecule. Typically, the carrier molecule is a protein.
While the amount of peptide bound to the solid phase, albeit indirectly, can in some cases be increased by this method, this approach suffers from the fact that the linkage between the peptide and the carrier protein frequently involves the side chains of internal trifunctional amino acids whose integrity may be indispensable for recognition by antibodies. The binding avidity of antisera for the internally modified peptide is frequently very much reduced relative to the unmodified peptide or the native protein.
The production of antisera to synthetic peptides also requires in most cases that the peptide be coupled to a carrier. Again, the coupling reaction between an internal trifunctional amino acid of the peptide and the carrier is likely to alter the immunogenic properties of the peptide.
There exist many methods for performing coupling reactions and most of the procedures in current use are discussed in detail in Van Regenmortel, M. H. V., Briand, J. P., Muller, S., and Plaue, S.; Laboratory Techniques in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, vol. 19, Synthetic Polypeptides as Antigens, Elsevier Press, Amsterdam, New York, Oxford, 1988. In addition to these procedures, unprotected peptides can also be biotinylated using commercially available reagents such as N-hydroxysuccinimidobiotin or biotinamidocaproate N-hydroxysuccinimide ester. Many of these reagents are discussed in Billingsley, M. L., Pennypacker, K. R., Hoover, C. G., and Kincaid, R. L., Biotechniques (1987)5(1):22-31. Biotinylated peptides are capable of being bound by the proteins streptavidin and avidin, two proteins which exhibit extraordinarily high affinity binding to biotin.
In certain instances, it is possible to selectively couple biotin to an unprotected peptide or an unprotected peptide to a carrier. This may be accomplished by synthesizing the peptide with an additional trifunctional amino acid added to one of the ends which is capable of participating in the coupling reaction. This approach will only be successful, however, as long as this amino acid is not a critical residue in the immunogenic sequence of interest and as long as the coupling agent chosen is sufficiently selective. No single technique is applicable to all unprotected peptides regardless of their amino acid composition.
The etiological agent responsible for non-A, non-B hepatitis has been identified and termed hepatitis C virus (HCV). Patent application EP-A-0 318 216 discloses sequences corresponding to approximately 80% of the viral genome. The availability of these sequences rapidly led to the elucidation of the remainder of the coding sequences, particularly those located in the 5xe2x80x2 end of the genome (Okamoto; J. Exp. Med. 60, 167-177, 1990). The HCV genome is a linear, positive-stranded RNA molecule with a length of approximately 9400 nucleotides. With the exception of rather short untranslated regions at the termini, the genome consists of one large, uninterrupted, open reading frame encoding a polyprotein of approximately 3000 amino acids. This polyprotein has been shown to be cleaved co-translationally into individual viral structural and non-structural (NS) regions. The structural protein region is further divided into capsid (Core) and envelope(E1 and E2) proteins. The NS regions are divided into NS-1 to NS-5 regions.
A number of independent patent applications have employed a variety of strategies to determine the locations of diagnostically important amino acid sequences and many of these studies have led to the identification of similar regions of the HCV polyprotein.
The NS4 region has mainly been studied in EP-A-0 318 216, EP-A-0 442 394, U.S. Pat. No. 5,106,726, EP-A-0 489 986, EP-A-0 484 787, and EP-A-0 445 801. Unfortunately only 70% of HCV-infected individuals produce antibodies to NS4, neither the synthetic nor recombinant proteins containing sequences from this region are adequate for identifying all infected serum samples. The nucleocapsid or Core region has been studied in patent applications EP-A-0 442 394, U.S. Pat. No. 5,106,726, EP-A-0 489 986, EP-A-0 445 801, EP-A-0 451 891 and EP-A-0 479 376. It was found that these peptides often used as mixtures, were more frequently recognized by antibodies (85-90%) in sera from chronically infected individuals than were the peptides derived from NS4. The NS5 region was studied in patent applications EP-A-0 489 986 and EP-A-0 468 527. Depending on the serum panel used, more than 60% of NANB hepatitis can be shown to contain antibodies directed against these peptides. The NS3 region was also studied in patent application EP-A-0 468 527. All available evidence suggests that the most dominant epitope of NS3 are discontinuous in nature and cannot be adequately represented by synthetic peptides. The E1 region which is potentially interesting as a region from the outer surface of the virus particles (possible immunogenic epitopes) was studied in both patent applications EP-A-0 468 527 and EP-A-0 507 615. The E2/NS1 region was studied for the same reason as E1. Comparisons of this region from different HCV variants elucidated that this protein contains variable region which are reminiscent of the HIV V3 loop region of gp120 envelope protein. Four peptides were found in EP-A-0 468 527 which were shown to contain relatively infrequently recognized epitopes. Finally, the NS2 region of HCV was analyzed in EP-A-0 486 527. However, the diagnostic value of this region is not clear yet. Virtually all patent applications concerning diagnostically useful synthetic peptides for antibody detection describe preferred combinations of peptides. Most of these include peptides from the HCV core protein and NS4. In some cases, peptides from NS5 (EP-A-0 489 968 and EP-A-0 468 527), and E1 and E2/NS1 are included (EP-A-0 507 615 and EO-A-0 468 527).
Different patent applications have addressed the problem of finding diagnostically useful epitopes of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). An important immunodominant region containing cyclic HIV-1 and HIV-2 peptides was found in patent application EP-A-0 326 490. In EP-A-0 379 949, this region was asserted to be even more reactive with HIV-specific antibodies in case a biotin molecule was coupled to these cyclic HIV peptides. SU-A-161 22 64 also describes the use of a biotinylated peptide in a solid phase immunoassay for the detection of HIV antibodies.
Other applications have looked for useful HIV epitopes in the hypervariable V3 loop region of gp120 (such as EP-A-0 448 095 and EP-A-0 438 332).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,833,071 provides peptide compositions for detection of HTLV I antibodies.
Deciding whether or not an epitope is diagnostically useful is not always straightforward and depends to an extent on the specific configuration of the test into which it is incorporated. It should be ideally an immunodominant epitope which is recognized by a large percentage of true positive sera or should be able to complement other antigens in the test to increase the detection rate. Epitopes which are not frequently recognized may or may not be diagnostically useful depending on the contribution they make towards increasing the detection rate of antibodies in true positive sera and the extent to which incorporation of these epitopes has an adverse effect on the sensitivity of the test due to dilution of other stronger epitopes.
Peptides can thus be used to identify regions of proteins which are specifically recognized by antibodies produced as a result of infection or immunization. In general, there are two strategies which can be followed. One of these strategies has been described by Geysen, H. M., Meloen, R. H., and Barteling, S. J.; Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. (1984) 81:3998-4002. This approach involves the synthesis of a large series of short, overlapping peptides on polyethylene rods derivatized with a noncleavable linker such that the entire length of the protein or protein fragment of interest is represented.
The rods are incubated with antisera and antibody binding is detected using an anti-immunoglobulin: enzyme conjugate. A positive reaction immediately identifies the location and sequence of epitopes present in the protein sequence. This technique has the advantage that all peptides are uniformly linked to the solid support through their carboxy-terminus. While this method allows for very accurate mapping of linear epitopes, the length of the peptides which can be reliably synthesized on the rods is limited. This may sometimes present problems if the length of the epitope exceeds the length of the peptides synthesized.
A second approach to epitope mapping involves the synthesis of larger peptides, generally between fifteen and thirty amino acids in length, along the sequence of the protein to be analyzed. Consecutive peptides may be contiguous but are preferably overlapping. Following cleavage, the evaluation of antibody binding to the individual peptides is assessed and the approximate positions of the epitopes can be identified. An example of this approach is given in Neurath, A. R., Strick, N., and Lee, E. S. Y.; J. Gen. Virol. (1990) 71:85-95. This approach has the advantage that longer peptides can be synthesized which presumably more closely resemble the homologous sequence in the native protein and which offer better targets for antibody binding. The disadvantage of this approach is that each peptide is chemically unique and that the conditions under which each peptide can be optimally coated onto a solid phase for immunological evaluation may vary widely in terms of such factors as pH, ionic strength, and buffer composition. The quantity of peptide which can be adsorbed onto the solid phase is also an uncontrolled factor which is unique for each peptide.
The main purpose of the present invention is to provide modified peptides corresponding to immunologically useful epitopes with said modified peptides having superior immunological properties over non-modified versions of these peptides.
Another aim of the present invention is to provide modified peptides corresponding to immunologically useful epitopes which could not be identified through classical epitope mapping techniques.
Another aim of the present invention is to provide a process for the in vitro determination of antibodies using said peptides, with said process being easy to perform and amenable to standardization.
Another aim of the invention is to provide a process for the determination of peptides corresponding to immunologically important epitopes on bacterial and viral proteins.
Another aim of the invention is to provide a method for preparing protein sequences used in any of said methods.
Another aim of the invention is to provide a method for preparing protein sequence which can be used in a process for the determination of their epitopes or in an in vitro method for the determination of antibodies.
Another aim of the invention is to provide intermediary compounds useful for the preparation of peptides used in the above-mentioned methods.
Another aim of the present invention is also to provide compositions containing peptides determined to correspond to immunologically important epitopes on proteins for diagnostic purposes.
Another aim of the present invention is also to provide compositions containing peptides determined to correspond to immunologically important epitopes on proteins for vaccine purposes.
According to the present invention, a series of biotinylated peptides representing immunologically important regions of viral proteins have been identified and prepared by solid phase peptide synthesis. These peptides have been identified to be very useful for (i) the detection of antibodies to HCV, and/or HIV, and/or HTLV-I or II. In some preferred arrangements, these peptides were also found or are at least expected, to be useful in stimulating the production of antibodies to HCV, and/or HIV, and/or HTLV-I or II in healthy animals such as BALB/C mice, and in a vaccine composition to prevent HCV and/or HIV, and/or HTLV-I or II infection.
As demonstrated in the Examples section of the present invention, the use of biotinylated peptides also allows the determination of immunologically important epitopes within a previously determined protein sequence. The determination of immunologically important epitopes using non-biotinylated peptides, which are covalently coupled to the solid phase, often fails to localize these epitopes. Especially in case of localization of structural epitopes, the use of biotinylated peptides seems to be quite successful.
(1) According to the present invention, a peptide composition useful for the detection of antibodies to HCV, and/or HIV, and/or HTLV-I or II comprise peptides corresponding to immunologically important epitopes being of the structure:
(A)-(B)-(X)-Y-[amino acids]n-Y-(X)-Z 
where
[amino acids]n is meant to designate the length of the peptide chain where n is the number of residues, being an integer from about 4 to about 50, preferably less than about 35, more preferably less than about 30, and advantageously from about 4 to about 25;
B represents biotin;
X represents a biotinylated compound which is incorporated during the synthetic process;
Y represents a covalent bond or one or more chemical entities which singly or together form a linker arm separating the amino acids of the peptide proper from the biotinyl moiety B or X, the function of which is to minimize steric hindrance which may interfere with the binding of the biotinyl moiety B or X to avidin or streptavidin, wherein Y is not a covalent bond, it is advantageously at least one chemical entity and may consist of as many as 30 chemical entities but will consist most frequently of 1 to 10 chemical entities, which may be identical or different, more preferably glycine residues, xcex2-alanine, 4-aminobutyric acid, 5-aminovaleric acid, or 6-aminohexanoic acid;
B and X being enclosed in parentheses to indicate that the presence of biotin or a biotinylated compound in these positions is optional, the only stipulation being that B or X be present in at least one of the positions shown;
A, when present, as indicated by parentheses, represents (an) amino acid(s), an amino group, or a chemical modification of the amino terminus of the peptide chain;
Z represents (an) amino acid(s), an OH-group, an NH2-group, or a linkage involving either of these two chemical groups wherein the amino acids are selectively chosen to be immunodominant epitopes which are recognized by a large percentage of true posistive sera or are able to complement other antigens in the test to increase the detection rate and B interacts with the selected amino acids to produce a compound with greater diagnostic senstivity.
The peptide composition comprises at least one and preferably a combination of two, three, four or more biotinylated peptides chosen from the following sequences:
1. Human immunodeficiency Virus type 1 Envelope Peptides:
a. gp41
1. (SEQ ID NO:1) gp41, isolate HTLV-IIIB
(A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Ile-Trp-Gly-Cys-Ser-Gly-Lys-Ile-Cys-Y-(X)-Z
2. (SEQ ID NO:2)
(A)-(B)-X)-Y-Ile-Trp-Gly-Cys-Ser-Gly-Lys-Leu-Ile-Cys-Thr-Thr-Ala-Val-Pro-Trp-Asn-Ala-Ser-Y-(X)-Z
3. (SEQ ID NO:3)
(A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Glu-Arg-Tyr-Leu-Lys-Asp-Gln-Gln-Leu-Leu-Gly-Ile-Trp-Gly-Cys-Ser-Gly-Lys-Leu-Ile-Y-(X)-Z
4. (SEQ ID NO:4)
(A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Leu-Gln-Ala-Arg-Ile-Leu-Ala-Val-Glu-Arg-Tyr-Leu-Lys-Asp-Gln-Gln-Leu-Y-(X)-Z
5. (SEQ ID NO:5) gp41, isolate Ant70
(A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Leu-Trp-Gly-Cys-Lys-Gly-Lys-Leu-Val-Cys-Y-(X)-Z
6. (SEQ ID NO:6) gp41, isolate ELI
(A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Asp-Gln-Gln-Leu-Leu-Gly-Ile-Trp-Gly-Cys-Ser-Gly-Lys-His-Ile-Cys-Thr-Thr-Asn-Val-Pro-Trp-Asn-Y-(X)-Z
b. gp 120
1. (SEQ ID NO:7) Partial V3 loop sequence, consensus
(A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Asn-Asn-Thr-Arg-Lys-Ser-Ile-His-Ile-Gly-Pro-Gly-Arg-Ala-Phe-Tyr-Thr-Thr-Gly-Glu-Ile-Ile-Gly-Y-(X)-Z
1.a. (SEQ ID NO:8) Complete V3 loop sequence, consensus
(A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Cys-Thr-Arg-Pro-Asn-Asn-Asn-Thr-Arg-Lys-Ser-Ile-His-Ile-Gly-Pro-Gly-Arg-Ala-Phe-Tyr-Thr-Thr-Gly-Glu-Ile-Ile-Gly-Asp-Ile-Arg-Gln-Ala-His-Cys-Y-(X)-Z
2. (SEQ ID NO:9) Partial V3 loop sequence, isolate HIV-1 SF2
(A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Asn-Asn-Thr-Arg-Lys-Ser-Ile-Tyr-Ile-Gly-Pro-Gly-Arg-Ala-Phe-His-Thr-Thr-Gly-Arg-Ile-Ile-Gly-Y-(X)-Z
3. (SEQ ID NO:10) Partial V3 loop sequence, isolate HIV-1 SC
(A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Asn-Asn-Thr-Thr-Arg-Ser-Ile-His-Ile-Gly-Pro-Gly-Arg-Ala-Phe-Tyr-Ala-Thr-Gly-Asp-Ile-Ile-Gly-Y-(X)-Z
4. (SEQ ID NO:11) Partial V3 loop sequence, isolate HIV-1 MN
(A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Tyr-Asn-Lys-Arg-Lys-Arg-Ile-His-Ile-Gly-Pro-Gly-Arg-Ala-Phe-Tyr-Thr-Thr-Lys-Asn-Ile-Ile-Gly-Y-(X)-Z
5. Partial V3 loop sequence, isolate HIV-1 RF
(SEQ ID NO:12) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Asn-Asn-Thr-Arg-Lys-Ser-Ile-Thr-Lys-Gly-Pro-Gly-Arg-Val-Ile-Tyr-Ala-Thr-Gly-Gln-Ile-Ile-Gly-Y-(X)-Z
6. Partial V3 loop sequence, isolate HIV-1 mal
(SEQ ID NO:13) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Asn-Asn-Thr-Arg-Arg-Gly-Ile-His-Phe-Gly-Pro-Gly-Gln-Ala-Leu-Tyr-Thr-Thr-Gly-Ile-Val-Gly-Y-(X)-Z
7. Partial V3 loop sequence, isolate HTLV-IIIB
(SEQ ID NO:14) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Asn-Asn-Thr-Arg-Lys-Ser-Ile-Arg-Ile-Gln-Arg-Gly-Pro-Gly-Arg-Ala-Phe-Val-Thr-Ile-Gly-Lys-Ile-Gly-Y-(X)-Z
8. Partial V3 loop sequence, isolate HIV-1 ELI
(SEQ ID NO:15) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Gln-Asn-Thr-Arg-Gln-Arg-Thr-Pro-Ile-Gly-Leu-Gly-Gln-Ser-Leu-Tyr-Thr-Thr-Arg-Ser-Arg-Ser-Y-(X)-Z
9. Partial V3 loop sequence, isolate ANT70
(SEQ ID NO:16) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Gln-Ile-Asp-Ile-Gln-Glu-Met-Arg-Ile-Gly-Pro-Met-Ala-Trp-Tyr-Ser-Met-Gly-Ile-Gly-Gly-Y-(X)-Z
10. Partial V3 loop sequence, Brazilian isolate, Peptide V3-368
(SEQ ID NO:17) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Asn-Asn-Thr-Arg-Arg-Gly-Ile-His-Met-Gly-Trp-Gly-Arg-Thr-Phe-Tyr-Ala-Thr-Gly-Glu-Ile-Ile-Gly-Y-(X)-Z
11. Carboxy-terminus, HIV-1 gp120
(SEQ ID NO:18) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Arg-Asp-Asn-Trp-Arg-Ser-Glu-Leu-Tyr-Lys-Tyr-Lys-Val-Val-Lys-Ile-Glu-Pro-Leu-Gly-Val-Ala-Pro-Thr-Lys-Ala-Lys-Arg-Arg-Val-Val-Gln-Arg-Glu-Lys-Arg-Y-(X)-Z
2. Human immunodeficiency Virus type 2 Envelope Peptide
a. gp41, isolate HIV-2 rod
(SEQ ID NO:19) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Ser-Trp-Gly-Cys-Ala-Phe-Arg-Gln-Val-Cys-Y-(X)-Z
b.
(SEQ ID NO:20) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Lys-Tyr-Leu-Gln-Asp-Gln-Ala-Arg-Leu-Asn-Ser-Trp-Gly-Cys-Ala-Phe-Arg-Gln-Val-Cys-Y-(X)-Z
c. gp120, isolate HIV-2 NIHZ
(SEQ ID NO:21) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Asn-Lys-Thr-Val-Leu-Pro-Ile-Thr-Phe-Met-Ser-Gly-Phe-Lys-Phe-His-Ser-Gln-Pro-Val-Ile-Asn-Lys-Y-(X)-Z
d. Partial V3 loop sequence, Peptide V3-GB12
(SEQ ID NO:22) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Asn-Lys-Thr-Val-Val-Pro-Ile-Thr-Leu-Met-Ser-Gly-Leu-Val-Phe-His-Ser-Gln-Pro-Ile-Asn-Lys-Y-(X)-Z
e. Partial V3 loop sequence, Peptide V3-239
(SEQ ID NO:23) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Asn-Lys-Thr-Val-Leu-Pro-Val-Thr-Ile-Met-Ser-Gly-Leu-Val-Phe-His-Ser-Gln-Pro-Ile-Asn-Asp-Y-(X)-Z
3. Chimpanzee immunodeficiency Virus
a. gp41
(SEQ ID NO:24) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Leu-Trp-Gly-Cys-Ser-Gly-Lys-Ala-Val-Cys-Y-(X)-Z
4. Simian immunodeficiency Virus
a. Transmembrane protein, isolate SIVagm(TY01)
(SEQ ID NO:25) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Ser-Trp-Gly-Cys-Ala-Trp-Lys-Gln-Val-Cys-Y-(X)-Z.
b. Transmembrane protein, isolate SIVmnd
(SEQ ID NO:26) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Gln-Trp-Gly-Cys-Ser-Trp-Ala-Gln-Val-Cys-Y-(X)-Z
5. HTLV-I and HTLV-II Virus
Peptide I-gp46-3
(SEQ ID NO:27) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Val-Leu-Tyr-Ser-Pro-Asn-Val-Ser-Val-Pro-Ser-Ser-Ser-Ser-Thr-Leu-Leu-Tyr-Pro-Ser-Leu-Ala-Y-(X)-Z
Peptide I-gp46-5
(SEQ ID NO:28) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Tyr-Thr-Cys-Ile-Val-Cys-Ile-Asp-Arg-Ala-Ser-Leu-Ser-Thr-Trp-His-Val-Leu-Tyr-Ser-Pro-Y-(X)-Z
Peptide I-gp46-4
(SEQ ID NO:29) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Asn-Ser-Leu-Ile-Leu-Pro-Pro-Phe-Ser-Leu-Ser-Pro-Val-Pro-Thr-Leu-Gly-Ser-Arg-Ser-Arg-Arg-Y-(X)-Z
Peptide I-gp46-6
(SEQ ID NO:30) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Asp-Ala-Pro-Gly-Tyr-Asp-Pro-Ile-Trp-Phe-Leu-Asn-Thr-Glu-Pro-Ser-Gln-Leu-Pro-Pro-Thr-Ala-Pro-Pro-Leu-Leu-Pro-His-Ser-Asn-Leu-Asp-His-Ile-Leu-Glu-Y-(X)-Z
Peptide I-p21-2
(SEQ ID NO:31) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Gln-Tyr-Ala-Ala-Gln-Asn-Arg-Arg-Gly-Leu-Asp-Leu-Leu-Phe-Trp-Glu-Gln-Gly-Gly-Leu-Cys-Lys-Ala-Leu-Gln-Glu-Gln-Cys-Arg-Phe-Pro-Y-(X)-Z
Peptide I-p19
(SEQ ID NO:32) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Pro-Pro-Pro-Pro-Ser-Ser-Pro-Thr-His-Asp-Pro-Pro-Asp-Ser-Asp-Pro-Gln-Ile-Pro-Pro-Pro-Tyr-Val-Glu-Pro-Thr-Ala-Pro-Gln-Val-Leu-Y-(X)-Z
Peptide II-gp52-1
(SEQ ID NO:33) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Lys-Lys-Pro-Asn-Arg-Gln-Gly-Leu-Gly-Tyr-Tyr-Ser-Pro-Ser-Tyr-Asn-Asp-Pro-Y-(X)-Z
Peptide II-gp52-2
(SEQ ID NO:34) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Asp-Ala-Pro-Gly-Tyr-Asp-Pro-Leu-Trp-Phe-Ile-Thr-Ser-Glu-Pro-Thr-Gln-Pro-Pro-Pro-Thr-Ser-Pro-Pro-Leu-Val-His-Asp-Ser-Asp-Leu-Glu-His-Val-Leu-Thr-Y-(X)-Z
Peptide II-gp52-3:
(SEQ ID NO:35) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Tyr-Ser-Cys-Met-Val-Cys-Val-Asp-Arg-Ser-Ser-Leu-Ser-Ser-Trp-His-Val-Leu-Tyr-Thr-Pro-Asn-Ile-Ser-Ile-Pro-Gln-Gln-Thr-Ser-Ser-Arg-Thr-Ile-Leu-Phe-Pro-Ser-Y-(X)-Z
Peptide II-p19
(SEQ ID NO:36) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Pro-Thr-Thr-Thr-Pro-Pro-Pro-Pro-Pro-Pro-Pro-Ser-Pro-Glu-Ala-His-Val-Pro-Pro-Pro-Tyr-Val-Glu-Pro-Thr-Thr-Thr-Gln-Cys-Phe-Y-(X)-Z
These above-mentioned biotinylated peptides were synthesized and found to be specifically recognized by antisera from infected humans or primates are considered particularly advantageous. All these above-mentioned peptides are new.
The process of the invention enables to increase the antigenicity of these HIV peptides, which can however be bound to a support, even when they are not biotinylated.
The HCV peptide sequences which follow have been found to be specifically recognized by antisera from infected humans or primates and which are considered particularly advantageous. The non-biotinylated amino acid sequences can be synthesized according to classical methods.
The peptides of interest are intended to mimic immunologically proteins or domains of proteins encoded by HCV. Since sequence variability has been observed for HCV, it may be desirable to vary one or more amino acids so as to better mimic the epitopes of different strains. It should be understood that the peptides described need not be identical to any particular HCV sequence as long as the subject compounds are capable of providing for immunological competition with at least one strain of HCV. The peptides may therefore be subject to insertions, deletions and conservative as well as non-conservative amino acid substitutions where such changes might provide for certain advantages in their use. The peptides will preferably be as short as possible while still maintaining all of the sensitivity of the larger sequence. In certain cases, it may be desirable to join two or more peptides together into a single structure. The formation of such a composite may involve covalent or non-covalent linkages.
Of particular interest are biotinylated peptides of HCV into which cysteine, thioglycollic acid, or other thiol-containing compounds have been incorporated into the peptide chain for the purpose of providing mercapto-groups which can be used for cyclization of the peptides.
The following peptides from the Core region of HCV were determined as corresponding to immunologically important epitopes.
1. Peptide I or Core 1 (aa. 1-20) has the following amino acid sequence:
(I)
(SEQ ID NO:37) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Met-Ser-Thr-Ile-Pro-Lys-Pro-Gln-Arg-Lys-Thr-Lys-Arg-Asn-Thr-Asn-Arg-Arg-Pro-Gln-Y-(X)-Z
2. Peptide II or Core 2 (aa. 7-26) has the amino acid sequence:
(II)
(SEQ ID NO:38) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Pro-Gln-Arg-Lys-Thr-Lys-Arg-Asn-Thr-Asn-Arg-Arg-Pro-Gln-Asp-Val-Lys-Phe-Pro-Gly-Y-(X)-Z
Of particular interest is the oligopeptide IIA (aa. 8 to 18):
(IIA)
(SEQ ID NO:39) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Gln-Arg-Lys-Thr-Lys-Arg-Asn-Thr-Asn-Arg-Arg-Y-(X)-Z.
3. Peptide III or Core 3 (aa 13-32) has the sequence:
(III)
(SEQ ID NO:40) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Arg-Asn-Thr-Asn-Arg-Arg-Pro-Gln-Asp-Val-Lys-Phe-Pro-Gly-Gly-Gly-Gln-Ile-Val-Gly-Y-(X)-Z
4. Peptide IV or Core 7 (aa 37-56) has the sequences:
(IV)
(SEQ ID NO:41) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Leu-Pro-Arg-Arg-Gly-Pro-Arg-Leu-Gly-Val-Arg-Ala-Thr-Arg-Lys-Thr-Ser-Glu-Arg-Ser-Y-(X)-Z
Of particular interest is the oligopeptide IVa or Core 6 (aa. 31 to 50):
(IVa)
(SEQ ID NO:42) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Val-Gly-Gly-Val-Tyr-Leu-Leu-Pro-Arg-Arg-Gly-Pro-Arg-Leu-Gly-Val-Arg-Ala-Thr-Arg-Y-(X)-Z
5. Peptide V or Core 9 (aa 49-68) has the sequence:
(V)
(SEQ ID NO:43) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Thr-Arg-Lys-Thr-Ser-Glu-Arg-Ser-Gln-Pro-Arg-Gly-Arg-Arg-Gln-Pro-Ile-Pro-Lys-Val-Y-(X)-Z
Of particular interest is the oligopeptide Va (aa. 55 to 74):
(Va)
(SEQ ID NO:44) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Arg-Ser-Gln-Pro-Arg-Gly-Arg-Arg-Gln-Pro-Ile-Pro-Lys-Val-Arg-Arg-Pro-Glu-Gly-Arg-Y-(X)-Z
6. Peptide VI or Core 11 (aa 61-80) has the following sequence:
(VI)
(SEQ ID NO:45) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Arg-Arg-Gln-Pro-Ile-Pro-Lys-Val-Arg-Arg-Pro-Glu-Gly-Arg-Thr-Trp-Ala-Gln-Pro-Gly-Y-(X)-Z
7. Peptide VII (aa 73-92) or core 13 has the sequence:
(VII)
(SEQ ID NO:46) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Gly-Arg-Thr-Trp-Ala-Gln-Pro-Gly-Tyr-Pro-Trp-Pro-Leu-Tyr-Gly-Asn-Glu-Gly-Cys-Gly-Y-(X)-Z
8. Peptide Core 123 (aa. 1-32):
(SEQ ID NO:47) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Met-Ser-Thr-Ile-Pro-Gln-Arg-Lys-Thr-Lys-Arg-Asn-Thr-Asn-Arg-Arg-Pro-Gln-Asp-Val-Lys-Phe-Pro-Gly-Gly-Gly-Gln-Ile-Val-Gly-Y-(X)-Z
9. Peptide Core 7910 (aa. 37-80):
(SEQ ID NO:48) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Gly-Gly-Val-Tyr-Leu-Leu-Pro-Arg-Arg-Gly-Pro-Arg-Leu-Gly-Val-Arg-Arg-Ala-Thr-Arg-Lys-Thr-Ser-Glu-Arg-Ser-Gln-Pro-Arg-Gly-Arg-Arg-Gln-Pro-Ile-Pro-Lys-Val-Arg-Arg-Y-(X)-Z
The following peptides from the NS4 region of HCV were found to correspond to immunologically important epitopes.
Peptide VIII or NS4-1 or HCV1 (aa 1688-1707) has the sequence:
(VIII)
(SEQ ID NO:49) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Leu-Ser-Gly-Lys-Pro-Ala-Ile-Ile-Pro-Asp-Arg-Glu-Val-Leu-Tyr-Arg-Glu-Phe-Asp-Glu-Y-(X)-Z
Peptide IX or HCV2 (aa 1694-1713) has the sequence:
(IX)
(SEQ ID NO:50) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Ile-Ile-Pro-Asp-Arg-Glu-Val-Leu-Tyr-Arg-Glu-Phe-Asp-Glu-Met-Glu-Glu-Cys-Ser-Gln-Y-(X)-Z
Peptide HCV3
(SEQ ID NO:51) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Val-Leu-Tyr-Arg-Glu-Phe-Asp-Glu-Met-Glu-Glu-Cys-Ser-Gln-His-Leu-Pro-Tyr-Ile-Glu-Y-(X)-Z
Peptide X or HCV4 (aa 1706-1725) has the sequence:
(X)
(SEQ ID NO:52) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Asp-Glu-Met-Glu-Glu-Cys-Ser-Gln-His-Leu-Pro-Tyr-Ile-Glu-Gln-Gly-Met-Met-Leu-Ala-Y-(X)-Z
11. Peptide XI or NS4-5 or HCV5 (aa 1712-1731) has the sequence:
(XI)
(SEQ ID NO:53) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Ser-Gln-His-Leu-Pro-Tyr-Ile-Glu-Gln-Gly-Met-Met-Leu-Ala-Glu-Gln-Phe-Lys-Gln-Lys-Y-(X)-Z
12. Peptide XII or HCV6 (aa 1718-1737) has the sequence:
(XII)
(SEQ ID NO:54) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Ile-Glu-Gln-Gly-Met-Met-Leu-Ala-Glu-Gln-Phe-Lys-Gln-Lys-Ala-Leu-Gly-Leu-Leu-Gln-Y-(X)-Z
13. Peptide XIII or NS4-7 or HCV7 (aa 1724-1743) has the sequence:
(XIII)
(SEQ ID NO:55) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Leu-Ala-Glu-Gln-Phe-Lys-Gln-Lys-Ala-Leu-Gly-Leu-Leu-Gln-Thr-Ala-Ser-Arg-Gln-Ala-Y-(X)-Z
14. Peptide XIV or HCV8 (aa 1730-1749) has the sequence:
(XIV)
(SEQ ID NO:56) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Gln-Lys-Ala-Leu-Gly-Leu-Leu-Gln-Thr-Ala-Ser-Arg-Gln-Ala-Glu-Val-Ile-Ala-Pro-Ala-Y-(X)-Z
15. Peptide NS4-27 or HCV9 (aa. 1712-1743):
(SEQ ID NO:57) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Ser-Gln-His-Leu-Pro-Tyr-Ile-Glu-Gln-Glu-Met-Leu-Ala-Glu-Gln-Phe-Lys-Gln-Lys-Ala-Leu-Gly-Leu-Leu-Gln-Thr-Ala-Ser-Arg-Gln-Ala-Y-(X)-Z
16. Peptide NS4e:
(SEQ ID NO:58) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Gly-Glu-Gly-Ala-Val-Gln-Trp-Met-Asn-Arg-Leu-Ile-Ala-Phe-Ala-Ser-Arg-Gly-Asn-His-Y-(X)-Z
The following peptides of the NS5 region of HCV were found to correspond to immunologically important epitopes.
Peptide XV or NS5-25 (aa 2263-2282) has the sequence:
(XV)
(SEQ ID NO:59) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Glu-Asp-Glu-Arg-Glu-Ile-Ser-Val-Pro-Ala-Glu-Ile-Leu-Arg-Lys-Ser-Arg-Arg-Phe-Ala-Y-(X)-Z
Peptide XVI or NS5-27 (aa 2275-2294) has the sequence:
(XVI)
(SEQ ID NO:60) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Leu-Arg-Lys-Ser-Arg-Arg-Phe-Ala-Gln-Ala-Leu-Pro-Val-Trp-Ala-Arg-Pro-Asp-Tyr-Asn-Y-(X)-Z
Peptide XVII or NS5-29 (aa 2287-2306) has the sequence:
(XVII)
(SEQ ID NO:61) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Val-Trp-Ala-Arg-Pro-Asp-Tyr-Asn-Pro-Pro-Leu-Val-Glu-Thr-Trp-Lys-Lys-Pro-Asp-Tyr-Y-(X)-Z
Peptide XVIII or NS5-31 (aa 2299-2318) has the sequence:
(XVIII)
(SEQ ID NO:62) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Glu-Thr-Trp-Lys-Lys-Pro-Asp-Tyr-Glu-Pro-Pro-Val-Val-His-Gly-Cys-Pro-Leu-Pro-Pro-Y-(X)-Z
Peptide XIX or NS5-33(aa 2311-2330) has the sequence:
(XIX)
(SEQ ID NO:63) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Val-His-Gly-Cys-Pro-Leu-Pro-Pro-Pro-Lys-Ser-Pro-Pro-Val-Pro-Pro-Pro-Arg-Lys-Lys-Y-(X)-Z
Peptide NS5-2527 (aa. 2263 to 2294):
(SEQ ID NO:64) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Glu-Asp-Glu-Arg-Glu-Ile-Ser-Val-Pro-Ala-Glu-Ile-Leu-Arg-Lys-Ser-Arg-Lys-Ser-Arg-Arg-Phe-Ala-Gln-Ala-Leu-Pro-Val-Trp-Ala-Arg-Pro-Asp-Tyr-Asp-Tyr-Asn-Y-(X)-Z
The following peptides from the N-terminal region of the E2/NS1 region of HCV were found to correspond to immunologically important epitopes.
peptide XXa (aa. 383-416)
(SEQ ID NO:65) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Gly-Glu-Thr-Tyr-Thr-Ser-Gly-Gly-Ala-Ala-Ser-His-Thr-Thr-Ser-Thr-Leu-Ala-Ser-Leu-Phe-Ser-Pro-Gly-Ala-Ser-Gln-Arg-Ile-Gln-Leu-Val-Asn-Thr-Y-(X)-Z
peptide XXa-1 (aa. 383-404)
(SEQ ID NO:66) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Gly-Glu-Thr-Tyr-Thr-Ser-Gly-Gly-Ala-Ala-Ser-His-Thr-Thr-Ser-Thr-Leu-Ala-Ser-Leu-Phe-Ser-Y-(X)-Z
peptide XXa-2 (aa. 393-416)
(SEQ ID NO:67) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Ser-His-Thr-Thr-Ser-Thr-Leu-Ala-Ser-Leu-Phe-Ser-Pro-Gly-Ala-Ser-Gln-Arg-Ile-Gln-Leu-Val-Asn-Thr-Y-(X)-Z
peptide XXb (aa. 383-416)
(SEQ ID NO:68) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Gly-His-Thr-Arg-Val-Ser-Gly-Gly-Ala-Ala-Ala-Ser-Asp-Thr-Arg-Gly-Leu-Val-Ser-Leu-Phe-Ser-Pro-Gly-Ser-Ala-Gln-Lys-Ile-Gln-Leu-Val-Asn-Thr-Y-(X)-Z
peptide XXb-1 (aa. 383-404)
(SEQ ID NO:69) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Gly-His-Thr-Arg-Val-Ser-Gly-Gly-Ala-Ala-Ala-Ser-Asp-Thr-Arg-Gly-Leu-Val-Ser-Leu-Phe-Ser-Y-(X)-Z
peptide XXb-2 (aa. 393-416)
(SEQ ID NO:70) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Ala-Ser-Asp-Thr-Arg-Gly-Leu-Val-Ser-Leu-Phe-Ser-Pro-Gly-Ser-Ala-Gln-Lys-Ile-Gln-Leu-Val-Asn-Thr-Y-(X)-Z
peptide XXc (aa. 383-416)
(SEQ ID NO:71) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Gly-His-Thr-Arg-Val-Thr-Gly-Gly-Val-Gln-Gly-His-Val-Thr-Cys-Thr-Leu-Thr-Ser-Leu-Phe-Arg-Pro-Gly-Ala-Ser-Gln-Lys-Ile-Gln-Leu-Val-Asn-Thr-Y-(X)-Z
peptide XXc-1 (aa. 383-404)
(SEQ ID NO:72) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Gly-His-Thr-Arg-Val-Thr-Gly-Gly-Val-Gln-Gly-His-Val-Thr-Cys-Thr-Leu-Thr-Ser-Leu-Phe-Arg-Y-(X)-Z
peptide XXc-2 (aa. 393-416)
(SEQ ID NO:73) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Gly-His-Val-Thr-Cys-Thr-Leu-Thr-Ser-Leu-Phe-Arg-Pro-Gly-Ala-Ser-Gln-Lys-Ile-Gln-Leu-Val-Asn-Thr-Y-(X)-Z
peptide XXd (aa. 383-416)
(SEQ ID NO:74) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Gly-His-Thr-His-Val-Thr-Gly-Gly-Arg-Val-Ala-Ser-Ser-Thr-Gln-Ser-Leu-Val-Ser-Trp-Leu-Ser-Gln-Gly-Pro-Ser-Gln-Lys-Ile-Gln-Leu-Val-Asn-Thr-Y-(X)-Z
peptide XXd-1 (aa. 383-404)
(SEQ ID NO:75) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Gly-His-Thr-His-Val-Thr-Gly-Gly-Arg-Val-Ala-Ser-Ser-Thr-Gln-Ser-Leu-Val-Ser-Trp-Leu-Ser-Y-(X)-Z
peptide XXd-2 (aa. 393-416)
(SEQ ID NO:76) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Ala-Ser-Ser-Thr-Gln-Ser-Leu-Val-Ser-Trp-Leu-Ser-Gln-Gly-Pro-Ser-Gln-Lys-Ile-Gln-Leu-Val-Asn-Thr-Y-(X)-Z
peptide XXe (aa. 383-416)
(SEQ ID NO:77) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Gly-Asp-Thr-His-Val-Thr-Gly-Gly-Ala-Gln-Ala-Lys-Thr-Thr-Asn-Arg-Leu-Val-Ser-Met-Phe-Ala-Ser-Gly-Pro-Ser-Gln-Lys-Ile-Gln-Leu-Ile-Asn-Thr-Y-(X)-Z
peptide XXe-1 (aa. 383-404)
(SEQ ID NO:78) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Gly-Asp-Thr-His-Val-Thr-Gly-Gly-Ala-Gln-Ala-Lys-Thr-Thr-Asn-Arg-Leu-Val-Ser-Met-Phe-Ala-Y-(X)-Z
peptide XXe-2 (aa. 393-416)
(SEQ ID NO:79) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Ala-Lys-Thr-Thr-Asn-Arg-Leu-Val-Ser-Met-Phe-Ala-Ser-Gly-Pro-Ser-Gln-Lys-Ile-Gln-Leu-Ile-Asn-Thr-Y-(X)-Z
peptide XXf (aa. 383-416)
(SEQ ID NO:80) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Ala-Glu-Thr-Tyr-Thr-Ser-Gly-Gly-Asn-Ala-Gly-His-Thr-Met-Thr-Gly-Ile-Val-Arg-Phe-Phe-Ala-Pro-Gly-Pro-Lys-Gln-Asn-Val-His-Leu-Ile-Asn-Thr-Y-(X)-Z
peptide XXf-1 (aa. 383-404)
(SEQ ID NO:81) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Ala-Glu-Thr-Tyr-Thr-Ser-Gly-Gly-Asn-Ala-Gly-His-Thr-Met-Thr-Gly-Ile-Val-Arg-Phe-Phe-Ala-Y-(X)-Z
peptide XXf-2 (aa. 393-416)
(SEQ ID NO:82) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Gly-His-Thr-Met-Thr-Gly-Ile-Val-Arg-Phe-Phe-Ala-Pro-Gly-Pro-Lys-Gln-Asn-Val-His-Leu-Ile-Asn-Thr-Y-(X)-Z
peptide XXg (aa. 383-416)
(SEQ ID NO:83) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Ala-Glu-Thr-Ile-Val-Ser-Gly-Gly-Gln-Ala-Ala-Arg-Ala-Met-Ser-Gly-Leu-Val-Ser-Leu-Phe-Thr-Pro-Gly-Ala-Lys-Gln-Asn-Ile-Gln-Leu-Ile-Asn-Thr-Y-(X)-Z
peptide XXg-1 (aa. 383-404)
(SEQ ID NO:84) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Ala-Glu-Thr-Ile-Val-Ser-Gly-Gly-Gln-Ala-Ala-Arg-Ala-Met-Ser-Gly-Leu-Val-Ser-Leu-Phe-Thr-Y-(X)-Z
peptide XXg-2 (aa. 393-416)
(SEQ ID NO:85) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Ala-Arg-Ala-Met-Ser-Gly-Leu-Val-Ser-Leu-Phe-Thr-Pro-Gly-Ala-Lys-Gln-Asn-Ile-Gln-Leu-Ile-Asn-Thr-Y-(X)-Z
peptide XXh (aa. 383-416)
(SEQ ID NO:86) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Ala-Glu-Thr-Tyr-Thr-Thr-Gly-Gly-Ser-Thr-Ala-Arg-Thr-Thr-Gln-Gly-Leu-Val-Ser-Leu-Phe-Ser-Arg-Gly-Ala-Lys-Gln-Asp-Ile-Gln-Leu-Ile-Asn-Thr-Y-(X)-Z
peptide XXh-1 (aa. 383-404)
(SEQ ID NO:87) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Ala-Glu-Thr-Tyr-Thr-Thr-Gly-Gly-Ser-Thr-Ala-Arg-Thr-Thr-Gln-Gly-Leu-Val-Ser-Leu-Phe-Ser-Y-(X)-Z
peptide XXh-2 (aa. 393-416)
(SEQ ID NO:88) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Ala-Arg-Thr-Thr-Gln-Gly-Leu-Val-Ser-Leu-Phe-Ser-Arg-Gly-Ala-Lys-Gln-Asp-Ile-Gln-Leu-Ile-Asn-Thr-Y-(X)-Z
The above-mentioned sequences correspond to epitopes localized on the HCV type-1 isolate HCV-1 (Choo et al. Proc; Natl. Acad. Sci. 88, 2451-2455, 1991) and HC-J1 (Okamoto et al., Jap. J. Exp. Med. 60, 167-177, 1990) sequence. It is, however, to be understood that also peptides from other type-1 HCV isolate sequences which correspond to the above-mentioned immunologically important regions may also be comprised in the composition according to the invention. An example of variant HCV sequences also falling within the present invention may be derived from the HCV-J isolate (Kato et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 87, 9524-9528).
The following peptides derived from the same regions as the above-cited peptide regions from the type 2 HCV sequences.
peptide XX/2
(SEQ ID NO:89) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Ala-Gln-Thr-His-Thr-Val-Gly-Gly-Ser-Thr-Ala-His-Asn-Ala-Arg-Thr-Leu-Thr-Gly-Met-Phe-Ser-Leu-Gly-Ala-Arg-Gln-Lys-Ile-Gln-Leu-Ile-Asn-Thr-Y-(X)-Z
peptide XX/2-1
(SEQ ID NO:90) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Ala-Gln-Thr-His-Thr-Val-Gly-Gly-Ser-Thr-Ala-His-Asn-Ala-Arg-Thr-Leu-Thr-Gly-Met-Phe-Ser-Y-(X)-Z
peptide XX/2-2
(SEQ ID NO:91) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Ala-His-Asn-Ala-Arg-Thr-Leu-Thr-Gly-Met-Phe-Ser-Leu-Gly-Ala-Arg-Gln-Lys-Ile-Gln-Leu-Ile-Asn-Thr-Y-(X)-Z
peptide VIII-2 or NS4-1 (2)
(SEQ ID NO:92) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Val-Asn-Gln-Arg-Ala-Val-Val-Ala-Pro-Asp-Lys-Glu-Val-Leu-Tyr-Glu-Ala-Phe-Asp-Glu-Y-(X)-Z
peptide IX-2
(SEQ ID NO:93) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Val-Ala-Pro-Asp-Lys-Glu-Val-Leu-Tyr-Glu-Ala-Phe-Asp-Glu-Met-Glu-Glu-Cys-Ala-Ser-Y-(X)-Z
peptide X-2
(SEQ ID NO:94) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Asp-Glu-Met-Glu-Glu-Cys-Ala-Ser-Arg-Ala-Ala-Leu-Ile-Glu-Glu-Gly-Gln-Arg-Ile-Ala-Y-(X)-Z
peptide XI-2 or NS4-5 (2)
(SEQ ID NO:95) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Ala-Ser-Arg-Ala-Ala-Leu-Ile-Glu-Glu-Gly-Gln-Arg-Ile-Ala-Glu-Met-Leu-Lys-Ser-Lys-Y-(X)-Z
peptide XII-2
(SEQ ID NO:96) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Ile-Glu-Glu-Gly-Gln-Arg-Ile-Ala-Glu-Met-Leu-Lys-Ser-Lys-Ile-Gln-Gly-Leu-Leu-Gln-Y-(X)-Z
peptide XIII-2 or NS4-7(2)
(SEQ ID NO:97) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Ile-Ala-Glu-Met-Leu-Lys-Ser-Lys-Ile-Gln-Gly-Leu-Leu-Gln-Gln-Ala-Ser-Lys-Gln-Ala-Y-(X)-Z
peptide XIV-2
(SEQ ID NO:98) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Ser-Lys-Ile-Gln-Gly-Leu-Leu-Gln-Gln-Ala-Ser-Lys-Gln-Ala-Gln-Asp-Ile-Gln-Pro-Ala-Y-(X)-Z
peptide XV-2
(SEQ ID NO:99) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Arg-Ser-Asp-Leu-Glu-Pro-Ser-Ile-Pro-Ser-Glu-Tyr-Met-Leu-Pro-Lys-Lys-Arg-Phe-Pro-(X)-Y-Z
peptide XVI-2
(SEQ ID NO:100) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Met-Leu-Pro-Lys-Lys-Arg-Phe-Pro-Pro-Ala-Leu-Pro-Ala-Trp-Ala-Arg-Pro-Asp-Tyr-Asn-Y-(X)-Z
peptide XVII-2
(SEQ ID NO:101) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Ala-Trp-Ala-Arg-Pro-Asp-Tyr-Asn-Pro-Pro-Leu-Val-Glu-Ser-Trp-Lys-Arg-Pro-Asp-Tyr-Y-(X)-Z
peptide XVIII-2
(SEQ ID NO:102) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Glu-Ser-Trp-Lys-Arg-Pro-Asp-Tyr-Gln-Pro-Ala-Thr-Val-Ala-Gly-Cys-Ala-Leu-Pro-Pro-Y-(X)-Z
peptide XIX-2
(SEQ ID NO:103) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Val-Ala-Gly-Cys-Ala-Leu-Pro-Pro-Pro-Lys-Lys-Thr-Pro-Thr-Pro-Pro-Pro-Arg-Arg-Arg-Y-(X)-Z
The above-mentioned sequences correspond to epitopes localized on the HCV type-2 isolate HC-J6 sequence (Okamoto et al., J. Gen. Virology 72, 2697-2704, 1991). It is, however, to be understood that also peptides from other type-2 HCV isolate sequences which correspond to the above-mentioned immunologically important regions may also be comprised in the composition according to the invention. Examples of variant sequences also falling within the present invention may be derived from HCV isolate HC-J8 (Okamato et al., Virology 188, 331-341, 1992).
The following peptides from the NS4 region of HCV type 3 are also preferred peptides according to the present invention:
Peptide NS4-1 (3)
(SEQ ID NO:104) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Leu-Gly-Gly-Lys-Pro-Ala-Ile-Val-Pro-Asp-Lys-Glu-Val-leu-Tyr-Gln-Gln-Tyr-Asp-Glu-Y-(X)-Z
Peptide NS4-5 (3)
(SEQ ID NO:5) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Ser-Gln-Ala-Ala-Pro-Tyr-Ile-Glu-Gln-Ala-Gln-Val-Ile-Ala-His-Gln-Phe-Lys-Glu-Lys-Y-(X)-Z
Peptide NS4-7 (3)
(SEQ ID NO:106) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Ile-Ala-His-Gln-His-Gln-Phe-Lys-Glu-Lys-Val-Leu-Gly-Leu-Leu-Gln-Arg-Ala-Thr-Gln-Gln-Gln-Y-(X)-Z
It is to be understood that also other peptides corresponding to HCV type-3 isolate sequences which correspond to immunologically important regions as determined for HCV type-1 and type-2 may also be comprised in the composition according to the invention.
The composition according to the present invention may also comprise hybrid HCV peptide sequences consisting of combinations of the core epitopes of the HCV core (table 9) HCV NS4 (table 10) or the HCV NS5 (table 11) region separated by Gly and/or Ser residues, and preferentially the following hybrid HCV sequences:
Epi-152
(SEQ ID NO:107) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Ile-Pro-Asp-Arg-Glu-Val-Leu-Tyr-Arg-Gly-Gly-Lys-Lys-Pro-Asp-Tyr-Glu-Pro-Pro-Val-Gly-Gly-Arg-Arg-Pro-Gln-Asp-Val-Lys-Phe-Pro-Y-(X)-Z
Epi-33B3A
(SEQ ID NO:108) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Trp-Ala-Arg-Pro-Asp-Tyr-Asn-Pro-Pro-Gly-Gly-Gln-Phe-Lys-Gln-Lys-Ala-Leu-Gly-Leu-Gly-Ser-Gly-Val-Tyr-Leu-Leu-Pro-Arg-Arg-Gly-Y-(X)-Z
Epi-4B2A6
(SEQ ID NO:109) (A)-(B)-(X)-Y-Arg-Gly-Arg-Arg-Gln-Pro-Ile-Pro-Lys-Gly-Gly-Ser-Gln-His-Leu-Pro-Tyr-Ile-Glu-Gln-Ser-Gly-Pro-Val-Val-His-Gly-Cys-Pro-Leu-Pro-Y-(X)-Z
The composition according to the present invention may also comprise so called biotinylated mixotope sequences consisting of peptides containing at each position all the amino acids found in the naturally occurring isolates, with said peptides being derived from any of the above-mentioned immunologically important regions (see FIG. 14).
(2) A preferred mixture of biotinylated peptides for detecting and/or immunizing against Hepatitis C Virus, Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 and Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 2 consists of:
A. II, III, IVa, Va, IX, XI, XIII, XV, XVI, XVIII,
1a.3, 1a.4, 1a.b, 1b.1a, 2b, 2d,
B. II, III, IVa, Va, IX, IX-2, XI, XI-2, XIII, XIII-2, XV, XV-2, XVI, XVI-2, XVIII, XVIII-2,
1a.3, 1a.4, 1a.b, 1b.1a, 2b, 2d.
(3) A preferred mixture of biotinylated peptides for detecting and/or immunizing against Human Immunodeficiency Virus types 1 and 2 and Human Lymphotropic Virus types I and II consists of:
1a.3, 1a.4, 1b.1, 2b, 2c, 2d, I-gp46-3, I-gp46-4, I-gp46-5, I-gp46-6, II-gp52-2, II-gp52-3, I-p21-2, I-p19, II-p19.
(4) Another preferred mixture of biotinylated peptides for detecting and/or immunizing against Hepatitis C Virus, Human Immunodeficiency Virus types 1 and 2 and Human Lymphotropic Virus types I and II consists of:
1a.3, 1a.4, 1a.6, 1b.1a, 2d, II, III, IVa, Va, IX, XI, XIII, XV, XVI, XVIII, XXa-2, XXc-2, XXg-2, XXh-2, I-gp46-3, I-gp46-4, I-gp46-5, I-gp46-6, II-gp52-3, I-p21-2, I-p19, II-p19.
(5) The present invention relates also to compositions of biotinylated peptides which are considered particularly advantageous, for diagnostic as well as immunogenic purposes for Hepatitis C Virus, and which advantageously comprise the following mixtures:
A. I, III, IVa, Va,
B. II, III, IVa, Va,
C. IX, XI, XIII,
D. XV, XVI, XVIII, XIX,
E. XXc-2, XXa-1, XXa-2, XXh-1, XXh-2, XXg-2, XX/2-2,
F. IX-2, XI-2, XIII-2,
G. XV-2, XVI-2, XVIII-2, XIX-2,
H. IX, IX-2, XI, XI-2, XIII, XIII-2,
I. XV, XV-2, XVI, XVI-2, XVIII, XVIII-2, XIX, XIX-2,
J. II, III, IVa, Va, IX, IX-2, XI, XI-2, XIII, XIII-2, XV, XV-2, XVI, XVI-2, XVIII, XVIII-2,
K. II, III, IVa, Va, IX, XI, XIII, XV, XVI, XVIII,
L. II, III, IV, V, IX, XI, XIII, XV, XVI, XVIII,
M. II, III, IVa, Va, IX, XI, XIII, XV, XVI, XVIII, XXa-2, XXc-2, XXg-2, XXh-2.
(6) The present invention relates also to compositions of biotinylated peptides which are considered particularly advantageous, for diagnostic as well as immunogenic purposes for Human Immunodeficiency Virus, and which are advantageously selected from the following mixtures: for type 1:
A. 1a.3, 1a.4, 1a.5, 1a.b
B. 1a.3, 1a.4, 1b.1, 1b.3, 1b.6, 1b.10,
C. 1b.1, 1b.2, 1b.3, 1b.4, 1b.5, 1b.6, 1b.7, 1b.8, 1b.9, 1b.10
D. 1b.1, 1b.2, 1b.3, 1b.4, 1b.6, 1b.10,
E. 1a.3, 1a.4, 1a.5, 1a.b, 1b.1a.
for type 2:
A. 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e.
for types 1 and 2:
A. 1a.3, 1a.4, 1b.1, 2b, 2c, 2d,
B. 1a.3, 1a.4, 1b.1a, 2b, 2d.
(7) The present invention relates also to compositions comprising biotinylated peptides which are considered particularly advantageous, for diagnostic as well as immunogenic purposes for Human T-cell Lymphotropic Virus and are advantageously selected from the following mixtures:
for Human T-Lymphotropic virus type I:
Peptides I-gp46-3, I-gp46-4, I-gp46-5, I-gp46-6, I-p21-2, I-p19
for Human T-Lymphotropic virus type II:
Peptides II-gp52-1, II-gp52-2, II-gp52-3, I-gp46-4, II-p19, I-p21-2.
for Human lymphotropic virus types I and II:
Peptides I-gp46-3, I-gp46-4, I-gp46-5, I-gp46-6, II-gp52-1, IIgp52-2, II-gp52-3, I-p21-2, I-p19, II-p19.
The synthesis of the peptides may be achieved in solution or on a solid support. Synthesis protocols generally employ t-butyloxycarbonyl- or 9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl-protected activated amino acids. The procedures for carrying out the synthesis, the amino acid activation techniques, the types of side-chain production, and the cleavage procedures used are amply described in, for example, Stewart and Young, Solid Phase Peptide Synthesis, 2nd Edition, Pierce Chemical Company, 1984; and Atherton and Sheppard, Solid Phase Peptide Synthesis, IRL Press, 1989.
(8) The present invention also relates to a process for in vitro determination of antibodies using the above defined biotinylated peptides, wherein said biotinylated peptides are preferably in the form of streptavidin-biotinylated peptide complexes or avidin-biotinylated peptide complexes.
In the complex of streptavidin-biotinylated peptides or avidin-biotinylated peptides, the peptides may be biotinylated either N-terminally, C-terminally or internally.
This approach for the determination of antibodies is not limited with respect to peptide length and avoids the difficulties inherent in coating peptides directly onto the solid phase for immunological evaluation.
The use of biotinylated peptides, in the process of the invention, makes the anchorage of peptides to a solid support such that it leaves their essential amino acids free to be recognized by antibodies.
The expression anchoring peptide to a solid support means the attachment of the peptide to a support via covalent bonds or non-covalent interactions such that the peptide becomes immobilized.
The solid support can be nitrocellulose, polystyrene, nylon or any other natural or synthetic polymer.
The expression xe2x80x9ctheir essential amino acids are left free to be recognized by antibodiesxe2x80x9d means that amino acid side chains of the peptide proper are neither chemically modified in any way nor involved in the interaction between the peptide and the solid phase.
The use of biotinylated peptides in the process of the invention enables said biotinylated peptides to be free to assume a wide range of conformations, among which at least one is appropriate for the binding of antibodies to said biotinylated peptides.
Any biotinylated peptide can be selected to be used in the process of the invention. However, some of them are able to be anchored on solid support and to react with antibodies specifically recognizing the epitope within this peptide even without being biotinylated and without being involved in a complex of avidin of streptavidin. In this case, the use of biotinylated peptides results in an apparent increase of the antigenicity of peptides with respect to the antigenicity observed when the peptides are not biotinylated. The expression xe2x80x9capparentxe2x80x9d is meant to indicate an observed change obtained under similar test conditions without regard to the absolute cause of the observed change.
By xe2x80x9cantigenicityxe2x80x9d is meant the property of a peptide to be bound by an antibody.
By xe2x80x9cincrease of antigenicityxe2x80x9d is meant that a positive signal is obtained for a dilution which is at least two times the dilution of the non-biotinylated peptides. Said positive signal is of the same magnitude as the one obtained for non-biotinylated peptides.
In other words, obtaining a positive signal can be obtained for a smaller amount of biotinylated peptide, compared to the amount of non-biotinylated peptide.
The present invention also illustrated a process for the identification of epitopes in a protein sequence comprises the following steps:
the preparation of peptides corresponding to portions of the amino acid sequence of the protein or polypeptide to be analyzed, said peptides being either contiguous, or preferably overlapping each other, the amount of overlapping being at least 3 amino acids, and preferably about 6 to about 12, the length of the peptides being at least about 5 amino acids and no more than about 50, preferably no more than about 40 amino acids, and more preferably from 9 to about 30 amino acids, with said peptides being characterized in that they are biotinylated;
binding the peptides to a solid phase through the interaction between the biotinyl group and streptavidin or avidin and measuring antibody binding to the individual peptides using classical methods.
(9) The present invention also relates to a process for the in vitro determination of antibodies to HIV or diagnosis of HIV infection by using a peptide composition as defined above in an immunoassay procedure, wherein the biotinylated peptides used are in the form of complexes of streptavidin-biotinylated or of avidin-biotinylated peptides.
(10) The present invention relates also to a process for the in vitro determination of antibodies to HCV or diagnosis of HCV infection by using a peptide composition as defined above in an immunoassay procedure, wherein the biotinylated peptides used are in the form of complexes of streptavidin-biotinylated or of avidin-biotinylated peptides.
(11) The present invention relates also to a process for the in vitro determination of antibodies to HTLV I or II or diagnosis of HTLV I or II infection by using a peptide composition as defined above in an immunoassay procedure, wherein the biotinylated peptides used are in the form of complexes of streptavidin-biotinylated or of avidin-biotinylated peptides.
A preferred method for carrying out the in vitro determination of antibodies is by means of an enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA). This assay employs a solid phase which is generally a polystyrene microtiter plate or bead. The solid phase may, however, be any material which is capable of binding a protein, either chemically via a covalent linkage or by passive adsorption. In this regard, nylon-based membranes are also considered to be particularly advantageous. The solid phase is coated with streptavidin or avidin and after a suitable period, excess unbound protein is removed by washing. Any unoccupied binding sites on the solid phase are then blocked with an irrelevant protein such as bovine serum albumin or casein.
A solution containing the mixture or selection of biotinylated peptides is subsequently brought into contact with the streptavidin- or avidin-coated surface and allowed to bind. Unbound peptide is removed by washing. Alternatively, biotinylated peptides are allowed to form complexes with either avidin or streptavidin. The resulting complexes are used to coat the solid phase. After a suitable incubation period, unbound complex is removed by washing. An appropriate dilution of an antiserum or other body fluid is brought into contact with the solid phase to which the peptide is bound. The incubation is carried out for a time necessary to allow the binding reaction to occur. Subsequently, unbound components are removed by washing the solid phase. The detection of immune complexes is achieved by using heterologous antibodies which specifically bind to the antibodies present in the test serum and which have been conjugated with an enzyme, preferably but not limited to either horseradish peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase, or xcex2-galactosidase, which is capable of converting a colorless or nearly colorless substrate or co-substrate into a highly colored product or a product capable of forming a colored complex with a chromogen which can be detected visually or measured spectrophometrically.
Other detection systems known in the art may however be employed and include those in which the amount of product formed is measured electrochemically or luminometrically. The detection system may also employ radioactively labeled antibodies, in which case the amount of immune complex is quantified by scintillation counting or counting. In principle, any type of immunological test for the detection of antibodies may be used, as long as the test makes use of the complex between either streptavidin or avidin and (a) biotinylated peptide(s) synthesized as described.
Also included are competition assays in which streptavidin- or avidin- biotinylated peptide complexes in solution are permitted to compete with the solid phase-bound antigen for antibody binding or assays in which free peptide in solution is permitted to compete with solid phase-bound streptavidin or avidin: biotinylated peptide complexes. By way of example, the many types of immunological assays for the detection and quantitation of antibodies and antigen are discussed in detail (Tijssen, P., Practice and Theory of Enzyme Immunoassays, Elsevier Press, Amsterdam, Oxford, N.Y., 1985).
The immunological assays may be restricted to single biotinylated peptides. Preferably, however, a mixture of biotinylated peptides is used which includes more than one epitope derived from the infectious agent(s) to which the presence of specific antibodies is to be measured.
Another preferred method for carrying out the in vitro determination of antibody detection is the line immunoassay (LIA).
The method of antibody detection consists essentially of the following steps:
the antigens, in the form of biotinylated peptide: streptavidin or avidin complexes, to be tested or used are applied as parallel lines onto a membrane which is capable of binding, covalently or non-covalently, the antigen to be tested,
unoccupied binding sites on the membrane are blocked with an irrelevant protein such as casein or bovine serum albumin,
the membrane is cut into strips in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the antigen (biotinylated peptide) lines are applied,
an appropriate dilution of an antiserum or other body fluid (containing antibodies to be detected) is brought into contact with a strip to which the antigens are bound and allowed to incubate for a period of time sufficient to permit the binding reaction to occur,
unbound components are removed by washing the strip,
the detection of immune complexes is achieved by incubating the strip with heterologous antibodies which specifically bind to the antibodies in the test serum and which have been conjugated to an enzyme such as horseradish peroxidase,
the incubation is carried out for a period sufficient to allow binding to occur,
the presence of bound conjugate is detected by addition of the required substrate or co-substrates which are converted to a colored product by the action of the enzyme,
the reactions are detected visually or may be quantified by densitometry.
(12) As demonstrated in the Examples section the present invention relates also the the use of a peptide composition as defined above, for immunization against HIV, and/or HCV, and/or HTLV I or II infection.
(13) The present invention also relates to a method for preparing the biotinylated peptides used in the invention involves the use of N-xcex1-Fmoc-X (N-y-biotin) or N-xcex1-Fmoc-X (N-y-biotin) derivative, wherein X represents 
where n is at least 1 but less than 10 and is preferably between 2 and xcex5, one amino group being attached to the Cxcex1 atom while the other being attached to carbon Cy, which is the most distal carbon in the side chain; or their esters obtained with alcohol ROH and more particularly pentafluorophenyl ester;
y representing position y with respect to the carbon atom carrying the COOH group in the radical.
This biotin derivative will be called intermediary product, and the above-defined intermediary products are new compounds determined according to the process of the invention.
(14) In an advantageous method for preparing the compounds of the invention, the intermediary product can be represented by one of the following formula:
N-xcex1-Fmoc- (N-y-biotin) is N-xcex1-Fmoc-lysine (xcex5-biotin) or
N-xcex1-Fmoc-ornithine (N-xcex4-biotin)
(15) The N-terminal biotinylated peptides can be prepared according to the method which comprises the following steps:
addition of the successive amino acids duly protected onto the resin to give:
Fmocxe2x88x92AAn . . . AA1xe2x88x92resin,
deprotection of the NH2-terminal for instance by means of piperidine,
addition of the intermediary product: 
xe2x80x83through its COOH onto the NH2-terminal to obtain: 
deprotection of the NH2-terminal group of the compound obtained, cleavage from the resin, extraction and purification of the peptide obtained, biotinylated at its amino terminal, the steps of side chain deprotection and peptide cleavage being liable to be performed simultaneously or separately, and particularly
deprotection of the NH2-terminal group of the intermediary group, for instance by means of piperidine,
cleavage from the resin for instance with an acid such as trifluoroacetic acid, in the presence of scavengers such as ethanedithiol, thioanisole, or anisole,
extraction of the peptide with a solvent such as diethylether to remove most the acid and scavengers,
purification, such as with HPLC to obtain: 
Biotin can be conveniently coupled to the free amino-terminus of an otherwise fully protected peptide chain using also conventional activation procedures. Since biotin possesses one carboxyl group and no amino groups, biotin essentially functions as a chain terminator. Preferred activating agents for in situ activation include but are not limited to benzotriazol-1-yl-oxy-tripyrrolidinophosphonium hexafluorophosphate (PyBOP) O-benzotriazol-1-yl-N,N,Nxe2x80x2,Nxe2x80x2-tetramethyluronium hexafluorophosphate (HBTU), and O-(1H-benzotriazol-1-yl)-tetrafluoroborate (TBTU). The activation procedures employing these and related compounds are known to those versed in the art of solid phase peptide synthesis and the coupling of biotin does not entail a significant departure from standard coupling protocols.
Biotin in a pre-activated form may also be used. Either N-hydroxysuccinimidobiotin or biotinamidocaproate N-hydroxysuccinimide ester are conveniently employed and both are commercially available. This method of coupling has been described by Lobl, T. J., Deibel, M. R., and Yem, A. W., Anal. Biochem. (1988) 170(2):502-511. Following addition of the N-terminal biotin, the peptide is cleaved from the resin in the presence of scavengers, the choice of which will depend on the usual considerations of peptide amino acid composition and the nature of the protecting groups used.
(16) The carboxy terminal biotinylated peptides involved in the process of the invention can be prepared according to a method which comprises
coupling of a carboxy-activated form of the intermediary product as defined above to a cleavable linker attached to the resin, for instance to obtain the following compound: 
deprotection of the xcex1 amino group of the intermediary compound, for instance by means of piperidine to obtain: 
successive addition of the subsequent amino acids AA1 . . . AAn dully protected onto 
xe2x80x83to obtain: 
deprotection of the NH2-terminal for instance by means of piperidine,
deprotection of the compound obtained, cleavage from the resin, extraction and purification of the peptide obtained, biotinylated at its carboxy terminal end, the steps of side chain deprotection and peptide cleavage being liable to be performed simultaneously or separately, and particularly
deprotection of the NH2-terminal, for instance by means of piperidine,
cleavage from the resin for instance with trifluoroacetic acid, in the presence of scavengers such as ethanedithiol, or thioanisole, or anisole,
extraction of the peptide with a solvent such as diethylether to remove most of the acid and scavengers,
purification, such as with HPLC to obtain: 
(17) The internally biotinylated peptides can be prepared according to a method which comprises the following steps:
addition of successive amino acids duly protected onto the resin to give:
Fmocxe2x88x92AAn. . . AA1xe2x88x92resin,
deprotection of the NH2-terminal,
addition of the intermediary product: 
xe2x80x83through its COOH onto the NH2-terminal to obtain: 
deprotection for the xcex1 amino group of the intermediary compound, for instance by means of piperidine to obtain: 
addition of the subsequent amino acids duly protected onto the resin to give: 
deprotection of the NH2 terminal group of the compound obtained, cleavage from the resin, extraction and purification of the peptide obtained, biotinylated at its amino-terminal, the steps of side chain deprotection and peptide cleavage being liable to be performed simultaneously or separately, and particularly,
deprotection of the NH2-terminus, for instance by means of piperidine,
cleavage from the resin for instance with trifluoroacetic acid, in the presence of scavengers such as ethanedithiol, or thioanisole, or anisole,
extraction of the peptide with a solvent such as diethylether to remove most of the acid and scavengers,
purification, such as with HPLC to obtain: 
Under certain circumstances, it may prove particularly advantageous to be able to biotinylate a peptide internally or at its carboxy-terminus. Such instances arise, for example, when the amino acid sequence of a peptide corresponds to the amino-terminal sequence of a protein. Attachment of a biotin to the amino-terminus of such a peptide results in a structure which is significantly different from that found in the native protein and may, as a consequence, adversely affect the binding properties of biochemical properties of the peptide. It is also possible that even for peptides corresponding to internal protein sequences, their recognition by binding proteins or immunoglobulins may depend on which end of the peptide and the manner in which it is presented for binding. The importance of peptide orientation has been described by Dyrberg, T. and Oldstone, M. B. A., J. Exp. Med. (1986) 164:1344-1349.
In order to be able to incorporate a biotinyl moiety into a peptide in a position and sequence independent manner, efforts were made to synthesize a suitable reagent which can be coupled using conventional procedures. A convenient reagent for C-terminal or internal biotinylation is N-xcex5-biotinyl-lysine. Provided the xcex1-amino group of this compound is suitably protected (Fmoc and tBoc), this reagent may be used to introduce a biotin anywhere in the peptide chain, including at the amino terminus, by the standard procedures used in solid phase peptide synthesis. The synthesis of the t-Boc-protected derivative has been described (Bodansky, M., and Fagan, DT., J. Am. Chem. Soc. (1977) 99:235-239) and was used to synthesize short peptides for use in studying the enzyme activities of certain transcarboxylases.
Unlike the t-Boc derivative, the synthesis of N-xcex1-Fmoc-Lys (N-xcex5-biotin) has not been described and given the growing interest in Fmoc-based synthesis strategies, this compound is considered particularly advantageous.
There are a number of possible routes which can be taken to arrive at the desired Fmoc-protected compound. These are shown in FIG. 1. In the first approach, commercially available N-xcex1-Fmoc-Lys (N-xcex5-tBoc) can be used as the starting material. The N-xcex5-tBoc protection is removed using trifluoroacetic acid and a scavenger such as water. A slight molar excess of the N-xcex1-Fmoc-lysine so obtained is then reacted with carboxy-activated biotin. The resulting product can be readily purified by selective extractions and standard chromatographic techniques. In an alternative approach, N-xcex1-Fmoc-Lys (N-xcex5-biotin) can be produced from commercially available N-xcex5-biotinyl lysine (biocytin) by reaction with fluorenylmethylsuccinimidyl carbonate. Numerous examples of these reactions which can be used as guidelines are given in Atherton and Sheppard, Solid Phase Peptide Synthesis, IRL Press, 1989.
The strategy shown in FIG. 1 (method A) may also be applied to synthesize N-xcex1-Fmoc-ornithine (N-xcex4-biotin) from commercially available N-xcex1-Fmoc-ornithine (N-xcex4-tBoc). The ornithine derivative differs from the lysine derivative only in the length of the side chain which, for the ornithine derivative, is shorter by one carbon atom. The N-xcex1-Fmoc-Lys can be conveniently incorporated into the peptide chain using the same reagents for in situ activation described for free biotin.
Alternatively, N-xcex1-Fmoc-Lys (N-xcex5-biotin)-O-pentafluorophenyl ester can be conveniently synthesized from N-xcex1-Fmoc-Lys (N-xcex5-biotin) and pentafluorophenyl trifluoroacetate using the base-catalyzed transesterification reaction described by Green, M. and Berman, J., Tetrahedron Lett. (1990) 31:5851-5852, for the preparation of O-pentafluorophenyl esters of amino acids. This active ester can be used directly to incorporate N-xcex1-Fmoc-Lys (N-xcex5-biotin) into the peptide chain. The class of above-defined intermediary products can be prepared according to a method which comprises the following steps:
reaction of a diamino-, monocarboxylic acid previously described with fluorenylmethysuccinimidylcarbonate or fluorenylmethyl chloroformate under conditions of carefully controlled pH to give the singly protected N-xcex1-Fmoc derivative,
or alternatively, use of commercially available N-xcex1-Fmoc-protected diamino-monocarboxylic acids when the side chain amino group is provided with a protecting group which is different from the Fmoc group used to protect the xcex1-amino group, the side chain amino group protection being liable to be selectively removed under conditions which leave the N-xcex1-Fmoc group intact,
purification of the mono-protected N-xcex1-Fmoc-diamino-monocarboxylic acid derivative by selective extractions and chromatography,
reaction of the derivative obtained with a carboxy-activated derivative of biotin, such as N-hydroxysuccinimide biotin, to obtain the (N-xcex1-Fmoc)-(N-y-biotin) derivative which is the desired intermediary product,
purification of the intermediary product by selective extractions, precipitations, or chromatography.
When the biotinylated peptides used in the process of the invention are to be provided with linker arms, these chemical entities may be conveniently attached to either the N- or C-terminus of a peptide sequence during solid phase synthesis using standard coupling protocols, as long as the amino groups of these compounds are provided with appropriate temporary amino group protection.
All these specific biotinylated peptides are new.